After All is Said and Done
by jimmyneutronscindy
Summary: Movie spoilers!!! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!! Um, Helga/Arnold... I'm not sure I like this, but it's about changes between helga and Arnold. However, if you like it. review it, and i'll continue! If no one reviews, I have nothing to write for... SO R&R!!!


The setting: During Movie... major spoilers for anyone who hasn't seen it... Pairing: Helga/Arnold Rating: Uh... PG to PG-13  
  
They've just witnessed Murray and Mona getting back together  
  
Ch. 1 - Becoming yourself  
  
'That's sweet. They make a cute couple... I think...' Helga thought. Helga glanced over at Arnold, still smiling. She sighed and started to say something when Arnold cut her off.  
  
"Helga,.. did you really mean what you said before? That you love me?" Arnold asked nervously. He gulped. He noticed that Helga was really figetty as she tried to come up with the right answer. "Helga?"  
  
"Ha! Are you kidding me?! What do you think, football head?! Of course I'm not in love with you! Why would I be?!" Helga said, trying to sound angry. 'What a crazy facade. How I wish I could just tell the truth.'  
  
"Is that true Helga? Then why did you kiss me?" Arnold asked. 'It wouldn't make sense to kiss someone you didn't like.' He raised an eyebrow. Thinking about the kiss caused him to blush, however. It was his first actual kiss-kiss. Yeah, he had been kissed on the cheek by that 6th grader, and kissed while acting. But it wasn't like when they were acting. It was more real. Like she REALLy meant it. Like she really loved him. Either that or she had been practicing. Why else would she know how to kiss so passionately?  
  
"Um... well... of course it's true! And the only reason I kissed you was cause I needed to practice for any future boyfriends I may have. I figured you're a nice person who likes to help people, so why wouldn't you help me with kissing practice. Heh heh... Yeah, that's it. Kissing practice." Helga said. She looked around at anything other than Arnold. When she finally couldn't take the silence anymore, she looked back at Arnold, hoping for any type of communication out of him. All she got was a grunt, as though Arnold was thinking, almost thoroughly thinking over her answer, to see if what she said made sense.  
  
Finally he said something. "I guess that makes some sort of sense. But you could've at least asked."  
  
"I guess I could've asked you if you wanted to help. Well... uh... gotta go." Helga said and dashed.  
  
"WAIT! I don't know. I think you're lying. It just doesn't sound right. Who the heck are you planning on going out with?" Arnold asked. Helga was acting really wierd, he wanted to know why.  
  
"No one in particular." Helga said, having walked back halfway to Arnold.  
  
"Then what would posess you to kiss me at that moment in time? And what about your proclomation of love?! It just doesn't make any sense." Arnold said out loud.  
  
"Not everything has to make sense, Arnold... If you think about it, nothing does. You'd figure a nice guy like you would be with his parents and that I might have some parents to set a good example for me. The only thing my parents ever do is ignore me, call me Olga or compare me with her. Nothing makes sense Arnold. Get used to it." Helga said and sighed.  
  
With that Helga ran off. Arnold sighed and shook his head. He was going to get to the bottom of Helga, one way or another. 'Why does she act the way she does?'  
  
*** The Next Day ***  
  
Helga walked into the 4th grade room. She took her usual seat in the back, avoiding eye contact with Arnold. She seriously doubted that he believed one thing she said.  
  
Until lunch time she ignored him. She didn't throw spitballs, she didn't spray him with water at the water fountain, she didn't take one glance at him.  
  
Arnold was constantly glancing back at Helga to see if she was just yanking his chains and had a whole line of spitballs wiating to pummel him with. Each time he looked back she was either writing or listening to the teacher. He even noticed that she answered a couple of questions throughout the morning. When everyone would look at her after she answered she'd reply with, "What?! I'm not stupid!"  
  
During lunch Helga and Arnold were in line. Helga was lightly singing Michelle Branch's "Goodbye to You."  
  
"Of all the things I believed in, I just wanna get it over with, Tears form behind my eyes, But I do not cry, Watching the days that pass me by, And I said,  
  
Goodbye to you, Goodbye to everything I thought I knew, You were the one I loved, The one thing that I tried to hold on to..."  
  
(only first verse and chorus)  
  
"Um, Helga are you feeling okay? You don't seem to be yourself today. That song seems depressing." Arnold stated.  
  
"Well, apparently you don't know the real me. *to lunch lady* Do you have any more tapioca pudding? Thanks. *to Arnold* Anyways, I'm fine. Life's peachy, as usual. My parents are the same as usual, my sister's the same as usual, and I'm just trying to be the real me. If you don't mind, I'm going to go sit next to my best friend Pheobe now. And that song isn't depressing if you feel depressed." With that Helga walked away. Arnold looked on after her. 'She's definetly not the Helga I know.'  
  
Helga sat down in the chair next to Pheobe. "Um, Helga? I was actually saving that seat for Gerald." Pheobe said, hoping not to get yelled at.  
  
"Oh, okay Pheebs. I'll go sit over there." Helga said, pointing to the "Forbidden Table." The Forbidden Table was for 5th graders only. Not like Helga cared. She picked up her tray and moved over there without a second word. Everyone in the cafeteria gasped and gaped at Helga. 'Wow, she has nerve!' 'No way! Nobody sits over there without getting beaten up!' 'She's really brave!'  
  
Helga was about to take a bite out of her sandwich (genoa salami and cheese ^_^) when a shadow entered into her view. She looked up to see the fifth graders crowding around the table.  
  
"I suppose you're expecting me to move? Well it ain't happenin' bub! I can sit anywhere I feel. Even if you beat me up, there'll be consequences for you. Permanent records will be written on, detentions will be given. So, take your best aim. I'm ready for ya!" Helga peeked open one of her eyes to find the 5th graders had moved along and all the 4th graders were staring at her. She silently sat back down and took a bite out of her sandwich. Everybody returned back to their conversations. She began to hum "Goodbye to You" feeling happy she didn't get pummeled, but upset about yesterday.  
  
She looked over at Pheobe, who was sitting talking with Gerald and Arnold. Pheobe gave her a sorry look like, "I didn't mean to make you move all the way over there, just to the other side of the table across from me." Or something like that. Helga shrugged and flapped her hand as if saying, "No biggie." Pheobe smiled and went back to talking with Gerald.  
  
Over at Pheobe, Gerald and Arnold's table they were talking about Helga's current attitude change.  
  
"Well, she really isn't a big bully. Deep down she's really nice. Secretive, but nice. I haven't talked to her since last friday, so I don't know why she's acting, well,.. like herself. Maybe she feels there's no more reason to act like a bully. Perhaps she admitted something she never thought she'd have the courage to." Pheobe said. She gave a meaningful look to Arnold as if to say, "Hello,.. McFlie. She said something very big, didn't she." Arnold just looked away, refusing to believe that Helga's proclomation was true.  
  
Arnold finished eating and got up and walked for the trash can. Helga was walking his way, looking at her empty tray, not even knowing she was going to walk straight toward him. She slipped and fell on a ketchup packet, causing the ketchup to fly into the air, and her to knock Arnold down and land on top of him.  
  
"Ugh." Helga said, as the ketchup plumetted to the top of her head. Splat. She cringed her nose in disgust as she felt the slippery, gloopy ketchup hit her head. "Gross." She picked herself up off the ground and grabbed some napkins, trying to get as much ketchup out of her hair as possible. "Gee, I've always wanted 'ketchup-red' hair. I guess my wish came true." Arnold laughed at the comment. "I don't think it's very funny Arnold. In fact... it's quite the opposite. You probably left the stupid packet on the ground as a stupid prank. Just like the time you blinded me. Well, thanks... And I was wondering,.. how do I look with 'ketchup-red' hair?" Helga said as she walked sullenly away.  
  
Ch. 2 - Ketchup Causes More Problems Than You Know  
  
"Helga... I was laughing at that comment you made!" Arnold, said, but it never reached her as she walked out the cafeteria doors and walked back to the classroom.  
  
Mr. Simmons was still eating and was surprised when Helga walked in the classroom looking sad and downtrotten. "Helga, are you alright?"  
  
"Yeah, just tired Mr. Simmons." Helga replied. She laid her head on her hands and watched out the windows. "I'm just tired..." She whispered.  
  
After lunch, while everyone went out for recess, Helga began working on project. Not for school, just for closure. 'Yeah, he'll never love me back. I need closure. Not for him. For me.' She created a card and wrote in it. Then, she slipped into the hallway seconds before the bell rang signaling the end of recess, and pushed it into Arnold's locker, then ran back into the classroom.  
  
*Ring* Arnold, Gerald, Pheobe, and the rest of the kids ran in the school and went to their lockers. Arnold was surprised to find a card in his locker. The writing was in cursive saying, "I've had this BIG crush on you for a while, and it pains me to see you pay attention to so many other girls and disregard me. I've hoped and prayed you'd eventually notice me, but I guess I need to like-like someone who actually pays attention to me. You'll probably never know who I am, unless you're smarter than I take you for, but you seem to be oblivious to my feelings for you. In fact, I don't even know why I'm writing this to you. I'll be seeing you around, you just won't know who I am." Arnold's forehead crinkled as he thought about the card. *Ring* 'Class time.'  
  
Arnold and the rest of the kids walked back into the room and sat down. Arnold still felt bad about Helga. He shouldn't have laughed, but the whole thing she said about the 'ketchup-red' thing was funny. Red... sort of like red lips. Her red lips (okay so they're pink). The lips that kissed his. The ones that after-the-fact make his insides heat up and his chest tingle. 'Stop Arnold! You can't like Helga, you like Lila!' But the more he thought about Helga, the less he thought about Lila.  
  
He glanced back at her to see her staring out the window. The more he thought about it, he figured Helga should try something different with her hair. Maybe wear it down, or half up-half down, or even in one ponytail. With her new attitude, she should probably change her hair. He decided to make the suggestion later.  
  
*** Later After Dinnertime ***  
  
Helga decided she wanted to surf the web. She didn't go on it too often and decided maybe she could find something to make her laugh or feel better. Then she got an instant message. "Arnold! Why would he IM me?!" 'Should I read it?' She decided to look at what he had to say.  
  
Footballisfun: hey helga pinkpoemgirly: um... hey... what do you want ketchup boy? Footballisfun: um, two things... 1) i didn't mean to laugh about the ketchup, but the comment about ketchup-red hair was funny, and i didn't leave the ketchup on the ground, i didn't have any ketchup to begin with pinkpoemgirly: oh, well sry then... what's the second thing? Footballisfun: 2) i was thinking you might wanna do something different with your hair... i mean, with your "real you-ness" maybe you should change your hair style pinkpoemgirly: why would you care about my hair? Footballisfun: i don't really, i just though it was an idea... no real reason... just, you might look good with a new hair do or something... just a thought... pinkpoemgirly: yeah... you're normal... whatever, I'll wear my hair different tomorrow and see how it goes... like it'll change my "glorious looks" anyways... Footballisfun: well, you never know helga, that kissing practice i helped you with may come in handy if your new hair style suits you... lol Footballisfun: j/k lol pinkpoemgirly is no longer signed on  
  
'I wonder what that was all about...' Arnold thought.  
  
"Grr... what a butt-munch!" Helga yelled in her closet which she was currently rearranging and clearing out.  
  
*** Next Day ***  
  
Helga walked into classroom with her hair straight down and part of it crimped or braided. She had red streaks in her hair as well (she had gotten inspiration from the ketchup).  
  
Arnold looked at her in awe when he walked into the class and saw her hair. It did seem to suit her. Original mixed with unoriginal. It was nice. Until she sighed and rolled her eyes. He walked over to her desk and said, "Nice hair."  
  
She rolled her eyes and said, "Yep. Great hair. C'est bon, oui? Actually I don't know what I think of it. Geesh... I must've been watching too much Lizzie McGuire last night. I'm doing my hair like her." She groaned and placed her head in her palm. "I wish I had her life... it'd be nice to have parents who care, friends who care, and guys who like her... even if it's Gordo who likes her as a friend at least."  
  
Arnold shook his head and said, "You have friends, guys are your friends. You have Pheobe." Like he was going to say, 'I like you Helga.'  
  
"Yeah, that's a laugh! Pheobe ditched me for Gerald, and I don't know of one friend I have who's a guy." Helga said, depressed as ever. "I'm thinking I should return to the bully scene. Then at least people are afraid of me and acknowledge me."  
  
"Helga, I'm your friend. And you don't need to be a bully. Trust me. Everyone likes you better this way." Arnold said, trying to reassure her.  
  
"Oh yeah... You're a real friend. *mocking* 'Oh yeah, you might actually look good if your hair was different.' Gee, that's really nice of you to say. Some friend you are football head!" Helga said getting p.o.'d. She pushed him out of her way and walked up to Mr. Simmon's desk to ask for a bathroom pass. He gave her the pink one and she was out of the classroom.  
  
She came back with her hair back up in her ponytails and a scowl on her face. She glared at Arnold on her way to her seat, but decided she wouldn't push him out of his desk as planned.  
  
*** Lunch ***  
  
"Hiya Pheobe. Mind if I sit here? Or is Geraldo going to sit here today?" Helga asked, ready to pound someone's face in.  
  
Her scowl grew larger as Pheobe sighed and said, "No, he'll have to sit at another table I suppose."  
  
"Listen Pheebs, if you don't want me to sit with you, don't bother to be my friend, and don't you dare lie to me!" Helga said slamming her chair under the table. "I can handle life friendless. I don't need anyone. I don't need anybody! I don't need my parents! I don't need you! No one!" Helga then decided she wasn't as hungry as once thought and she dumped her food out in the garbage and slammed the tray against the tray holder. "And if anyone in this cafeteria makes a comment about me, there'll be heck for each and every last one of you losers! Then my life will be just peachy! Got it? Good!" With that Helga stormed out of the cafeteria. Once in the halls she looked to see if anyone was around and when she figured no one was, she sat in a chair and cried.  
  
Ch. 3 - Arnold Gets Decked  
  
"Why does my life have to be so miserable? I only wanted some acceptance from the person I love the most. I'd rather be dead right now. I'm not overeacting. I'm not! Nobody gives a piece of poo if I were around. Listen to me! I sound like some little loser girl who's heartbroken and upset because some stupid lousy people don't care one bit about me! I need to be tough. Just cause he's basically broken my heart again doesn't mean I can't go on. It's too bad they don't have a 4th grade singles connection. Maybe I could find some real friends and someone better than him. Yeah, like that'll ever happen. I try being myself and it doesn't work. I try being the bully, and it doesn't work. Woe is me." Helga almost laughed at her last comment. She sighed and decided that she needed to skip the last classes of the day.  
  
As Helga was walking toward the doors that lead out of the building, Arnold saw her. "Helga! Wait! Where are you going?!" Arnold asked trying to keep up with her.  
  
"And why should I tell you, Arnoldo? You don't care. You're just like every other person I come into contact with! I thought you were different... but I guess I was wrong for the past 6 years! You're... just... like... ev...er...y...one... else! So leave me alone. I don't need anyone to claim they're my friend. I don't need anyone at all. Out of my way." Helga said, but Arnold wouldn't move. She did something then that she never, ever imagined she'd do.............................. She decked him.  
  
She walked out of the school and headed down the road. She kept walking until she got to the worst part of the city. She saw kids who were grumpy take drugs and get high and were then happy. Still, she decided maybe she shouldn't try them.  
  
She continued wandering until she came to the airport. Still, she doubted that a girl without her parents would be allowed to request a ticket to who-knows-where.  
  
She wandered still until she got back to the school and walked back in. She walked down the hall into the bathroom and then went to her class. 'So much for skipping.' She walked in and gave everyone a dirty look, but her face softened when she saw what she did to Arnold. He didn't really deserve that. He didn't deserve to be punched. His left eye was black and blue and he looked like he'd been crying. 'Geez, I'm like some kind of... pain machine.'  
  
"Helga... please take your seat. We have five more minutes, but I'd like to have a talk with everyone." Mr. Simmons said. Helga walked over to her seat and sat down and folded her arms, waiting. "I'm very disappointed in you Helga. Punching Arnold like you did. It was certainly a very mean thing to do. Why did you do it?"  
  
"Gee... let me think... Maybe it's because every single living human being I come across doesn't care about me at all. Either they don't hide it, or they pretend to care. Either way I've come to the conclusion that all mankind sucks and they take everything they have for granted. I've tried being myself... that definetly didn't work. I've now gone back to being the bully everyonen is acquainted with and used to... Arnold wouldn't move out of my way when I wanted to skip class, so... I punched him. If no one wants to care, then I won't care either! My parents have always hated me, my one friend deserted me cause she'd rather sit with with someone else, and to sum this all up... here's three words for you... MY LIFE SUCKS!!! I'd rather be dead! *starts lowering voice* And the one thing that used to keep me going has ended... I used to be in love with someone... but that's over with... I already told him, but he's too dense to figure it out... So... everyone... just stay away from me... and don't ever talk to me again... I'd rather be alone than hang out with a bunch of losers like you! Oh yeah, and Mr. Simmons, was this conversation "special" enough for you?" Helga finished and sat down. Arnold laughed. "What the heck is so funny?! Did I not cause enough bodily harm to you today?!" She scowled and glared.  
  
"Sorry, but that last thing you said was funny." Arnold said clutching his sides.  
  
"Just SHUT UP football head! Just shut up!" Helga said, running out of the room.  
  
TO BE CONTINUED... 


End file.
